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Organizers seek to host state 3-D archery shoot at Teddy's Playground; council urges alternate site review
Summary
A state youth 3-D archery coordinator asked council to allow a May 10 state shoot at Teddy's Playground; city staff and council expressed liability and precedent concerns and asked organizers to evaluate the shooting range and provide layout options by the council's Feb. 4 meeting.
Representatives of a state youth 3-D archery program requested permission to host a state championship shoot at Teddy's Playground on May 10, telling council the event would draw more than 100 participants and generate overnight stays that could benefit local hotels and businesses.
The organizer described the program as youth-focused (participants up to age 18) and linked to collegiate recruiting; staff reported 112 sign-ups for the state event and that the organizer had placed a block of roughly 50 hotel rooms. Organizers asked to be listed as additional insured, to camp overnight so props and targets are secure, and to use portions of Teddy's Playground for a 20-target 3-D course replicating hunting scenarios.
City staff and several council members raised concerns about precedent and public perception: they said allowing bow shooting at a publicly accessible playground could create confusion about permitted uses and risk others treating the site as an informal shooting location. Staff recommended the city evaluate the municipal shooting range as an alternative and asked the organizers to provide two layout scenarios (Teddy's Playground and the shooting-range option) including a Google Earth schematic of target placement and acreage required.
Council did not vote on permitting the event that night. Organizers were asked to return with the requested layouts and feasibility information; they and staff agreed the council could provide a firm answer by its Feb. 4 meeting.
Why it matters
The event would bring youth competitors, coaches and families to Roosevelt and could provide a modest economic benefit through hotel nights, food and fuel purchases. Council balanced that potential against concerns about setting a use precedent for a park and the public-safety and liability implications of hosted shooting-related activities at a playground site.
Details
- Program scale: organizer reported 112 registered participants for the state event, with 50 hotel rooms initially reserved; expected maximum target distance is 40 yards and the event uses 20 targets in a 3-D course format.
- Participant profile: the program serves youth shooters (up to high‑school graduation) and partners with conservation and collegiate recruitment efforts; the organizer said the program emphasizes hunter ethics and youth development.
- City concerns: staff cited public-perception and liability issues with shooting activity at a park; staff recommended evaluating the shooting range and asked for a layout and operational plan for both locations.
Next steps
Organizers will survey the municipal shooting range and produce two course layouts, with target placement and acreage maps for the council to review. City staff and council expect to provide a decision by the Feb. 4 meeting.
